Where to dine in Perth: Chinta Café

Last Updated on April 24, 2024 by Home in the World

‘Love does not make the world go round; it makes the ride worthwhile.’ This is the wholesome quote that greets visitors to the ‘tropical garage’ that is Chinta Café in North Perth. And ‘tropical garage’ is exactly what it is. An old car-repairs workshop has been converted into a Balinese-style oasis, with a cool mix of indoor and outdoor areas. While the abundant lush plants, Buddha statues and exotic red parasols create a very zen vibe, the restaurant still also remains true to its roots, the exposed beams and corrugated iron roof serving as a reminder of its garage origins.

Indoor garden meets industrial chic at Chinta

Striking exotic wall art in one of the lounge areas

Chinta is Indonesian for ‘love’, and the menu certainly has a South-East-Asian focus, including spring rolls, bao buns, chicken satay, nasi goreng and beef rendang. But, if that’s not your thing, their All Day menu will still have you covered, with the likes of eggs on toast, fried chicken waffles, various salads and burgers, or just a good ol’ ‘Big Breakfast’ also on the menu. There are vegan options too. After my first preference of the chorizo shakshuka was unavailable, I opted for the avocado on toast. It was wholesome and delicious in its own right, but the walnut pesto really took it to another level. Absolutely scrumptious!

Avo on toast – with poached eggs, seeded sourdough, walnut pesto, coriander & lime. It also comes with feta but I ordered it without. Free-range bacon can be added too for an extra charge.

Drinks-wise, there is a whole array of exotic cocktails and alcoholic beverages, as well as teas, coffees and juices. The cocktails my friend and I ordered were of the clear-coloured variety, but you can check out Chinta’s Instagram page to see some of their more colourful creations.

Cocktails at Chinta. The cute one on the right with the chilli & lime on a stick is the Absolut Tom Yum, one of the Chinta’s signature cocktails.

Chinta is also vegan-friendly, and their desserts are no exception. While I am not vegan, I do not eat dairy products, and I am used to restaurants often not offering any dairy-free dessert options (though it still annoys me!). Fortunately, that was not the case here, as they had a selection of suitable cakes and slices to choose from in their cake cabinet – made fresh that day. But if you’re happy to go all out on dessert (and I wouldn’t blame you!), there are some truly delectable options available, including the lemon passionfruit gateau that my friend ordered.

Top: Lemon passionfruit gateau. Bottom: Dairy-free cakes from the cake cabinet.

All in all, we had a fabulous lunch at Chinta. We had come on my friend’s recommendation, as he had had several good experiences there, and I can only reconfirm this. Staff were friendly, service was great, food was of excellent quality, attractively presented and reasonably priced, and I absolutely loved the decor. A great little breakfast, brunch or lunch spot in the inner city for anyone wanting to step away from the everyday grind and into the lush zen sanctuary that this ‘tropical garage’ offers. And don’t forget to have a browse through their funky gift shop on your way out!

Interested in other great dining options in Perth? You might like to check out my reviews of Blackbird Restaurant and Folk & Merchant, as well as my post on what could be considered Perth’s most Instagrammable café.